Los Angeles, Apr 2 (IANS): A 69-year-old man shot dead his adult son in Los Angeles this week because his son was gay, media quoted prosecutors as saying on Saturday.

Shehada Khalil Issa, who had previously threatened to kill his son, Amir Issa, 29, because he was gay, has been charged with premeditated murder, CNN quoted Los Angeles County prosecutors as saying.

Police responded to a 911 call on Tuesday and arrived at the family home in the North Hills neighbourhood in Los Angeles, where they found the body of Amir Issa outside their home and his mother's body inside the home. Prosecutors allege that Khalil Issa fired a shotgun that killed his son.

The LAPD was still investigating what happened to the victim's mother, who was not identified.

Investigators told the Los Angeles Daily News that Issa had initially said he found his dead wife in the bathroom of their house and had shot his son in self-defence after being threatened with a knife.

Later, Issa made "incriminating statements" and was subsequently charged with murder. Issa is being held without bail and could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.